A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Britain to seek EU aid for flood costs
LONDON - Britain is to seek assistance from the European Union to help cover the multibillion dollar cost of the country's destructive flooding in June and July, the government said yesterday.
The minister in charge of handling the flood crisis, John Healey, said Britain would apply for assistance from the EU's Solidarity Fund, which was set up in 2002 to help member states deal with the uninsurable costs of natural disasters. - (Reuters)
Remaining South Koreans 'still alive'
GHAZNI - The remaining South Korean hostages held in Afghanistan are still alive, the Taliban said yesterday. The army warned villagers to evacuate areas near where the insurgents are thought to be holding the hostages.
Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf said all 21 hostages were alive despite the expiry of a deadline after which he had warned the kidnappers would start killing the captives unless the Afghan government freed jailed insurgents. "Yes, they are alive," Yousuf told Reuters by telephone from an unknown location. - (Reuters)
Museum's bitter dispute ends
ROME - The Getty Museum has reached a compromise with Italy after a bitter dispute over antiquities in its collection that Rome says were looted, the Italian Culture Ministry said in a statement yesterday.
The museum will return 40 artefacts to Italy, fewer than the 46 Italy initially demanded but more than the 26 it offered last year when the government threatened to cut ties with the museum. - (Reuters)
Obama takes tough stance on Pakistan
WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama said yesterday the US must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan, adopting a tough tone after a chief rival accused him of naivety in foreign policy. Mr Obama's stance comes amid debate in Washington over what to do about a resurgent al Qaeda and Taliban in areas of northwest Pakistan. - (Reuters)